My Journey to Peak Productivity
Vicky Vinesh Narayan is the Instructor Food Safety, Environment, and Green Productivity in the Department of National Productivity and Innovation at the National Training and Productivity Centre of the Fiji National University. The views expressed in this article are of the author and do not reflect or represent the position of the Fiji National University.
Feeling overwhelmed by todo lists and ever-shrinking deadlines? You’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world, staying productive can feel like a constant battle.
That’s why I decided to embark on a unique quest: a productivity workshop in the heart of Malaysia. Held in the bustling capital city, Kuala Lumpur, the workshop promised to equip attendees with the tools and strategies to transform their work lives.
Intrigued by the chance to learn from experts and network with fellow productivity enthusiasts from the Asia-Pacific region, I agreed to the nomination made by the National Training and Productivity Centre.
APO
The Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1961 to increase productivity in the AsiaPacific region through cooperation. The APO contributes to the sustainable socioeconomic development of the area through policy advisory services, acting as a think tank, and undertaking smart initiatives in the industry, agriculture, service, and public sectors.
Fiji joined APO in 1984 and has benefited immensely from APO membership over the last 40 years. This is aptly demonstrated by the growth of the productivity movement in Fiji, which led to the success and popularity of productivity-related programmes such as Business Excellence and Quality Circles, Green Productivity, and 5s. The National Training & Productivity Centre (NTPC), which is the National Productivity Organisation (NPO) for Fiji, is the leading organisation in providing in-service training for industries and offering specialised consultative services to assist industries in achieving their productivity goals.
The Malaysia Productivity Corporation organised the workshop, and it was a vibrant mix of theory and practice.
Workshop
Renowned productivity coaches joined the session to impart their knowledge on practical industrial experiences, and they immediately dispelled the myth that productivity is about working harder and working smarter.
We were honoured to have such speakers in our midst, and they spoke on various topics.
We had Yukitoshi Tanno from Japan, who spoke about data collection, analysis, and visualisation. Mr Rahim, a principal consultant from Malaysia, discussed lean management and promoting productivity on the digital platform and talked about productivity assessment methodologies and tools. Mr Mansor selected an essential topic for us.
He first spoke about the concept of total productive maintenance and then discussed process skills, people skills, codes of conduct, and fundamental concepts of productivity.
Dr Cheng is a professor from China, and he presented on the Internet of Things in Manufacturing and the use of digital Kaizen equipment monitoring.
Lastly, we had Dr Koh, who spoke on lean supply chain management and the functional competency development of a trainer.
This programme was not just merely the resource people coming in and speaking for six hours before ending the day.
It was a well-planned and executed session that saw a lot of interaction between the resource people and the participants.
On day one, we were requested to talk about the country’s productivity activities.
Since I am a Food Safety Expert on international standards and implementation, I discussed the relationship between food safety and productivity initiatives in Fiji. This was well received by the participants as well as the technical experts, and they appreciated how much a small island country was doing in terms of productivity.
The sessions ensured that we focused on identifying our productivity Kryptonite – the things that drain our energy and derail our focus.
Through interactive exercises, we discovered our personal productivity pitfalls. For some, it was the lack of capacity building in the country, while others confessed to the insufficient budget allocation for productivity development and improvement initiatives.
Exchange of ideas
This awareness and realisation of issues faced in the country was the first step towards productivity improvement.
But the workshop wasn’t just about ticking boxes on a to-do list. A significant portion was dedicated to understanding the constraints of businesses in measuring firmlevel productivity.
One insightful session focused on identifying time management practices in business.
A simulation exercise was carried out in class using Lego sets to identify how long it takes to assemble.
This was fun and informative as we were able to determine the pitfalls and determine the easiest and quickest way to do this task. Beyond the formal sessions, the true magic of the workshop unfolded during the networking breaks. Over steaming cups of teh tarik, Malaysia’s signature milk tea, I exchanged ideas with fellow participants from diverse backgrounds. An entrepreneur from Nepal shared his struggles with managing a growing business, while an engineer from a car parts manufacturing company offered tips on process optimisation techniques. These impromptu conversations provided valuable insights and a sense of camaraderie, reminding us that we weren’t alone in our quest for productivity.
We also had the opportunity to visit the famous tourist sites around the vicinity of our stay.
Since we arrived in Malaysia during the week of Diwali, we were allowed to visit the local temples.
Additionally, we visited other places to appreciate the cultural diversity of Malaysia and celebrate the beautiful sights that Malaysia has preserved while improving its landscape as a growing and developing economy.
On the final day of the workshop, we culminated in the creation of personalised action plans. Guided by the experts, we identified specific strategies to implement upon returning home.
These plans included everything from setting realistic goals to utilising project management tools to finally tackling that ever-growing email inbox.
Our participation in the workshop was appreciated with certificates, merchandise, and gift presentations.
As I departed Malaysia, I carried with me a renewed sense of purpose and a toolbox filled with practical strategies.
The workshop wasn’t just about acquiring knowledge; it was about igniting a mindset shift.
It instilled in me the importance of taking control of time, prioritising tasks effectively, and nurturing a healthy work environment.
The road to peak productivity is undoubtedly a continuous journey, but thanks to the invaluable lessons learned in the Malaysian workshop, I now approach these challenges with a newfound confidence. Armed with the right tools and a supportive community, I’m determined to make changes and improvements in the Fijian business scene.
The journey to productivity improvement begins with identifying and accepting flaws in the business.
Well-planned activities and their execution are vital to ensure that productivity initiatives see life.
Productivity is also not about cost-cutting; sometimes, changes in processes and workshop training can yield good results. Let’s make productivity a daily mantra for process improvement.